The declaration provided a broad picture of the fundamental changes that were under way in the realignment of forces in the world arena. “The basic nature of our epoch,” the declaration stated, “is the transition from capitalism to socialism, initiated by the Great October Socialist Revolution in Russia. Now more than one-third of the world’s population has set out on the road to socialism” (Programmnye dokumenty bor’by za mir, demokratiiu i sotsializm, Moscpw, 1960, pp. 4-5). Noting the danger of war created by imperialist circles in the USA, the declaration emphasized that the struggle for peace was the priority task of the Communist Parties. The declaration observed that the basis of mutual relations among the countries of the world socialist system and among all Communist and workers’ parties consisted of the proven principles of proletarian internationalism. It formulated some general principles of socialist revolution and socialist development in all countries entering onto the path of socialism: leadership of the working masses by the working class, whose nucleus is the Marxist-Leninist party; the carrying out of the proletarian revolution and establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat in one form or another; the union of the working class with the great mass of the peasantry and other elements of the toiling masses; the liquidation of capitalist property and the establishment of social ownership of the basic means of production; the gradual socialist transformation of agriculture; planned development of the economy, aiming toward the construction of socialism and communism and toward the raising of the living standards of the toiling masses; the realization of socialist revolution in the areas of ideology and culture and the creation of a broad intelligentsia devoted to the working class and the toiling masses and to the cause of socialism; the liquidation of national oppression and the creation of equality and fraternity among peoples; the defense of the achievements of socialism against encroachments by enemies within and without; and the solidarity of the working class of one country with the working class of other countries, that is, proletarian internationalism.

The declaration emphasized that these principles appear everywhere in the context of a great diversity of historically created national features and traditions and that the forms of transition from capitalism to socialism may differ from one country to another. The working class and its vanguard, the Marxist-Leninist party, strives to achieve a socialist revolution by peaceful means. However, in the case of the exploiter class resorting to violence against the people, one must bear in mind the possibility of a transition to socialism by means of force. The declaration noted the historical significance of the Twentieth Congress of the CPSU for the further development of the international communist movement on the basis of Marxism-Leninism.

The declaration pointed out that in the present stage special importance must be given to intensifying the struggle against opportunistic tendencies in the workers’ and communist movement and to overcoming revisionism and dogmatism. The declaration confirmed the striving of the Communist Parties to establish cooperation with Socialist Parties. It also defined future forms of the development of consultation and cooperation among the Communist Parties.

The experiences of the Communist and workers’ parties of the socialist countries, of the workers’ movement in the capitalist countries, and of the national liberation movement were summarized in the declaration, which in itself represented a new stage in the progress of the communist movement. The theses presented in it, which represented in themselves a great contribution to the development of the general line of the world communist movement, were further developed in the Declaration of the Conference of the Representatives of the Communist and Workers’ Parties (in November 1960) and in the document Tasks of the Struggle Against Imperialism at the Present Stage and the Unity of Action of Communist and Workers’ Parties and All Anti-imperialist Forces (June 17, 1969).

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.